Brain + MSM

Question 1

What part of the brain in engaged during stm

Answer 1

Prefrontal cortex
(Beardsley 1997)

Question 2

What part of the brain is engaged during ltm

Answer 2

Hippocampus
(Squire et al 1992)

Question 3

Evaluate the use of brain scans to study memory stores

Answer 3

• Stress can interfere with the study
  + brain scans are objective, reliable and generalisable

Question 4

Describe the case of HM

Answer 4

HM had brain damage caused by an operation to remove the hippocampus from his brain to reduce his epilepsy
His personally and intellect remained intact and retained knowledge before the operation but couldn’t form new long term memories or information
Suggesting that the hippocampus functions as a memory gateway for new memories to pass thru before entering permenant storage

Question 5

Evaluate the case of HM

Answer 5

+ it was a surgical procedure so the operation had a direct impact
+ longitudinal study which makes it valid
+ real world application

• lacks generalisability
• ethics as he cannot form new memories
• no right to withdraw

Question 6

Describe the case of Clive wearing

Answer 6

Wearing contracted a viral infection which attacked his brain, damaging his hippocampus
According to his wife his memory is 30 seconds at most
He writes in his diary “i am awake for the first time” and re writes this right after as he has forgotten

Question 7

Evaluate the case of Clive wearing

Answer 7

+ supports distinct stores for msm
+ supports the idea of rehearsal as he couldn’t rehearse and therefore couldn’t form ltm
+ supports the idea that the hippocampus disrupts ltm storage

• oversimplifies ltm
• case study which is ungeneralisable